the handstripping question

[jansop]

It's past my bedtime but I have another quick question.

Today I tried handstripping Booker....everything went smooth. BUT, I'm wondering about his face/neck/legs. Do I hand strip all those areas, too?

He looks kinda cool right now, all those WILD hairs are gone. Yep, I did it myself after reading a ton of helpful hints on this great forum.

I know this type of question is repetitive because others have asked also. But I don't have time to do a topic search.

TIA to anyone who can answer my strip question...............jan

[wheezie23]

Good for you, Jan, for doing it yourself! Yes, you should do his head, feet, etc. I find using the rubber finger nibs to be the easiest way to get those fine hairs w/o causing pain. Pumice stone really helps, too. You hold it like you would a stripping knife and press the hairs against it with your thumb. The dead ones come right out. Good luck with it!

thela

[PeppersMom]

I am new to stripping to...I bought a Mikki brand stripper and it has made a world of difference..I like it a lot better than my McClellan. I also have an Oster rake that takes the undercoat off.

[savannahsmom35]

I think it is recommended that you do a full strip the first time that you strip so yes, you would do the face, neck, etc. I think the only areas that you aren't supposed to strip is the top part of the ears and around the private areas (more painful there). I did these areas VERY CAREFULLY with scissors. I warn you, when you do their face, they look funny for a few weeks until the hair grows back in. Below is a pic of Savannah when I first finished around her face (and before one ear was standing up properly). She asks that you don't laugh TOO hard at her! It is now grown in enough that she actually looks like a Cairn! I am glad that I did her face though because now her coat has the same texture all over.

[Guest mrskti]

What a cute picture!

You know I went to Petco here today to look for a stripping tool, and talked to the groomer. She said they didnt' do that there, that they clipped them, and they didnt even teach her how to hand strip a cairn in school at all. She said she thought it was cruel cause it had to hurt. I was a little surprised about all this. I've decided to wait till I get back home and see a lady that has Lakelands and Airedales, I know she strips them.

[Mama Kim]

You know, Piper is two and our former Cairn Lucy was almost 14 and I still don't really understand what hand stripping is. I've obviously never hand stripped either of them. I feel so stupid but I've just never "gotten" it. Maybe I should try with Piper?? Where is the definitive hand stripping guide, if I may be so silly as to ask?? (Y'all must think I'm really dumb, lol!! And I'm not even blonde. )

[Eliz222]

Mama Kim, I have had Cairns my whole life. My mom never stripped her dogs, and they looked great! I haven't stripped mine yet, although I have been trying. I like the "shaggy" look...although not TOO shaggy, so I think it depends on what look you like. I prefer alot more hair on my dogs, so this is what they will look like. I used the MARs on Scout, last year, and was so unhappy with how she looked..in fact, it still hasn't grown all the way back, and it has been almost a year now! I still use it, but not very often.

I still struggle with this issue, and I'm sure others do too, so we will all learn together!

[kayharley]

I am also a very confused Cairn owner when it comes to proper grooming (okay, okay, I'm blond )

My youngest, Elliott, had a wonderful puppy coat to begin with and I admit I was a little intimidated to strip him. When I started on his coat I found very few longer hairs. It seemed all his hair was even when I slipped it through my fingers.

I decided that it might be good to just roll his coat....go over the entire coat and gently pull all his loose hair out. He had alot of it... so much that I'm thinking this is going to take forever. I could pull and pull while the pile of fur gets higher and higher although he's not looking any different.

What gives? What am I doing wrong? I now can understand why the cost of stripping can be so high.

[Eliz222]

LOL, I'm blonde too....maybe THAT'S our problem.....lol!

I can strip Scout hair pretty easily, but I have the same problem with Finch's hair. It's all the same length (at least it seems like it is) and it doesn't want to come out!!!!! How come Scout's comes out so easily, and I feel like I'm pulling Finch's hair out???

I think I'll have their coat stripped by the time they are 12 years old!

[Milopup]

I tried and tried to find someone who would handstrip them but I couldn't. I tried to do it myself, but using the rubber fingertips only yielded a few hairs. I know the handstripping purists are going to read this with shock and disdain (sorry guys ) but I have decided to do the combo method - use the MCK everyday over several days, then bring him to the groomer for a cleanup/evening out (yes I know she clips his hair). I have decided to do this combo method every couple of months, have done it once already after the winter and doing it again this week.

I know I seem like a wimp who is not taking the best care of my cairn - and trust me I do feel guilty over it big time.

[Abby's Dad]

Went to a dog show this past week-end and talked to every Cairn owner there. Also observed some of the prettiest coats on these Cairns that I have ever seen! All were hand stripped and each owner gave me a personal demonstration on stripping technique. I was really impressed and made me realize how much I have to learn about grooming a Cairn. The show was really fun and very educational

[Guest mrskti]

Does anyone offer a video on stripping a cairn? If it's already on this site for sale...sorry I missed it!!! I have blonde highlights!!! LOL

[Mama Kim]

Well, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who's on the clueless side, lol! Piper goes to a groomer about every 3 months. I have no idea how to hand strip. I brushed her tonight but I don't understand what to do to handstrip. I'm baffled. But I'd really like her to have an 'authentic' Cairn look, although I think she already does. But what do I know?

[Mama Kim]

By the way, I've looked at the Mars Coat King. It looks like some sort of torture device. Is it easy to use? There are so many choices. Which one is the best in terms of number of blades and size? It's all so confusing.

[bradl]

A search for "mars coat king" produces these:

http://www.cairnterrier.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=2529 (12 or 16 recommended)

http://www.cairnterrier.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=2529 (12 or 16 recommended)

http://www.cairnterrier.org/forum/index.ph...owtopic=2192(16 recommended)

http://www.cairnterrier.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=2042 (16, 15, 10 recommended)

Most everyone I know personally uses a 16.

[Mama Kim]

Thanks, Brad. I know you must think I'm such an idiot for being a Cairn owner for 16 years now, not to know this stuff.

The MCK looks so horrific. For those of you who choose this route for grooming, is it really easy to use? Does it hurt them? I just don't know, with three kids, if I have time to try and hand strip, besides not having a clue what I am doing, lol.

[wheezie23]

Kim, I use the MCK on my two and they never complain. They actually like it. It probably feels like a nice brushing to them and it really works in getting the dead hair out.

Thela

[bradl]

It looks frightful but it's safer than it appears. The hook parts are dull - the cutting edge is deep in the curl. Most dogs seem to be either indifferent to it, or like it. You mostly use it like an awkward brush, with a bit of wrist-snap action if you want to deliberately cut (as I sometimes do to remove feathers and stragglers on a tail or leg). It's not very nimble on small parts of the body, like around the legs and muzzle etc. Some folks use a narrow version that has with the same blade pitch (spacing), just not as many blades, for tight spots. I just have the one, so I just rough out the jacket with the thing, defluff the bits of legs and tail I can get to, and then finish off the stragglers and wispy stuff with my fingers. (I do use a thinning shear or even scissors to trim around the base of the foot for a tidy paw.)

As always, taking grooming advice from me is like taking etiquette advice from Attila the Hun. Or fashion advice from Barney Fife. Or something.

[Guest Darcy's Mom]

Kim,

Like you, I was terrified of it (MCK) when I ordered it and I thought, Darcy will never stand still for this. Well, I took her out on the deck, put her on the bench that is about two feet high and started brushing. To my amazement, the hair just came out so easily. I think I overdid it the first time cause I was so relieved that it didn't seem to bother her at all. I just kept on brushing (don't know the proper term for the MCK). When I was finished, I had a paper bag full of fur. So now, I just use it occasionally. Still have to have her face, paws, ears, and "private parts" done at the groomer's. But it is great on the back, top of head and sides.

I take it with me when I take Darcy to the vet for a bath and light grooming and my groomer said she had never used one before and was amazed at the MCK. She said it would be great on any kind of dog that has a heavy coat.

Also, Brad, as usual, comes through for us. He gives very useful advice.

So Brad, Somewhere out there, there are pictures of dogs (before MCK and after use of MCK). I don't know if this would help, but if he could give you the site you could see for yourself.

Happy grooming, or not.

Sandy

[bradl]

http://www.groomersmall.com/ck_results.htm#borderterrier

[Mama Kim]

Thank you all so much!! Now I have to decide where I should order from, lol. But I think I'll give it a whirl, so to speak.

[Milopup]

I use the MCK (not sure which number, but I ordered it from Col. Potter) - my pup is the kind to whine when you touch his paw or when you brush/comb him. Because of this, he whines when the MCK is used, and one person needs to hold him while another uses the MCK. But from what I understand it doesn't hurt him, he is just a whiny pup.